


new skin to fit into

by roguepath



Category: AI: The Somnium Files (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, post-resolution route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 11:03:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21319132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguepath/pseuds/roguepath
Summary: “Maybe that’s why he hated your guts so much,” Mizuki grumbles, “‘cause your taste in fashion sucks so bad.”“Hey, I’ll have you know I looked perfectly dandy in my old coat,” says Date as he shuffles through a rack of so-calleddad shirts,thanks, Iris.A brief outing post-Resolution Route.
Relationships: Date Kaname & Okiura Mizuki, Date Kaname/Sagan Hitomi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 146





	new skin to fit into

Saito Sejima did one good thing for Date while in his body—his real body— and that was buy him a decent outfit. The splattered blood, dirt, and other unpleasant things aside, he has to admit: sadistic tendencies or no, the man had an eye for fashion.

Get it. Because, the eye thing.

His remark earns him a kick from Mizuki and a reprimand from Aiba while on Mizuki’s shoulder. In that order, in quick succession, of course.

“Maybe that’s why he hated your guts so much,” Mizuki grumbles, “‘cause your taste in fashion sucks so bad.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know I looked perfectly dandy in my old coat,” says Date as he shuffles through a rack of so-called _dad shirts_, thanks, Iris. 

“Uh-huh,” nods Mizuki, “says the old man who thinks  _ dandy _ is current vernacular.”

“The hell does ‘vernacular’ mean?” he mutters.

“Language,” says Aiba.

“Shit, sorry.”

“That is  _ not _ what I meant.”

“Do I really have to change my look like this, though?” asks Date. “I thought we were just buying clothes for Pewter’s hearing.”

That, being one of the many things coming up on Date’s already-crowded calendar; because with the Saito’s lovely little shitshow calming down, it doesn’t take a lot of thought to arrive to the conclusion that Saito essentially holding your dead boyfriend’s body hostage was just a  _ bit _ messed up.

(How Date knows about the boyfriend thing, he still doesn’t know. He just does.)

Other things included Iris’ welcome back party and a multitude of funerals.

“While that is the primary reason for this outing,” Aiba says, “I also think that it would be best to find you new clothes to wear, as you resembling Saito may be found unnerving.”

“Yeah,” agrees Mizuki, “also, you look weird trying to pull that outfit off.”

“That as well.”

Not wrong, Date thinks. On both accounts.

What proves to be an unexpected pain in the ass about the whole new body thing is photos; something that Date only realized when he and Mizuki came home that busy night to find a photo his old body and Renju from a few years ago.

There was silence, before Mizuki simply turned the photo face flat, and they agreed to get rid of the rest in the morning.

Further down the list of annoyances is clothes and razors, now that Date’s gone from unable to grow a thing to stubble all day, every day.

“Okay, okay,” Date starts, “how ‘bout— this one?” before he pulls a button-up off the rack by its hanger. He complies with his older taste for red, but as of right now goes for a crimson pressed shirt with a mushroom pattern.

“Wow,” Mizuki says, “that looks terrible,” 

“It’s perfect.”

Aiba blinks. “I cannot deny that it looks atrocious, meaning that  _ yes, _ it is perfect,” she says with finality and weariness both.

“Great,” says Date, “‘cause I’m gonna get three more just like this,” which is how they leave the clothing store with four horrendous yet very red shirts. Suits were a matter for another day— which, at  _ least,  _ Aiba comments, not even Date could screw up when it came to picking something fashionably acceptable.

On the way out, Date forgets about Aiba being Aiba. So, the result is him badly bullshitting his way through an entire  _ oh crap, I lost my contact, yes I only need one for one eye ma’am I’m  _ fine _ I swear _ bit with an unfortunate employee.

After that is lunch.

* * *

Their destination is no question: the same old hole-in-the-wall, yet oh so delicious place where Date and Mizuki had their first taste of vomit stew. When they visit is surprisingly sparse, per Mizuki’s claim that going too often just takes away the charm of it, and Date never disagreed.

It helps that no one seems to remember them well enough to care about his new appearance. Really, the entire cover story with the whole facial reconstruction is  _ still _ a bit of a stretch but, hey— what works for everyone is what works best, he supposes.

Even still, the place is just how Date remembers: all aged charm, down to the slight tears in the leather cushion high chairs and the years-old graffiti left by markers on the wooden tables. Same goes with the stew. Still gross, still tastes amazing, all at once.

“So, what do you think?” is what Date  _ means _ to ask Mizuki, but just as he opens his mouth, she asks this instead:

“Are you dating my homeroom teacher, Date?” A question that’s spouted out at such a speed, Date guesses that time and curiosity both are what bring this onto him.

“Er, what?” he asks, placing his spoon down. “You mean Hitomi?” 

“Yeah, Ms. Sagan,” Mizuki says. “You liked her before, didn’t you?”

“Well, sure,” Date replies, a hand instinctively reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “But I don’t know about dating her just yet, Mizuki. It’s… Gonna be a while before we can think about that.”

Her mouth simply forms a tiny ‘o’ before she replies, “oh, okay.”

“Why do you ask?” Date frowns. “Would you have a problem if I did, or…?”

“Nah,” Mizuki says. “I like Ms. Sagan. Also, if you  _ did  _ date her,” she then gives a slight smile, “Iris and I would be like sisters. Maybe we’d even live together.”

“That would have to wait for a long time, Mizuki,” Date laughs, his nervousness disintegrating with it. “But I’m glad that you’re okay with it.”

_ It’s good that she chose to brought it up, _ Aiba thinks.  _ We all know that  _ you _ have been procrastinating on doing it yourself. _

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Mizuki gives him an odd look. “Aiba?”

“Gah— yeah, sorry,” Date says, “but anyway Mizuki— thanks for telling me. I know it’s been pretty busy these past few months, so…”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Mizuki says. “Almost at the end of the school year too.”

“Right, and your  _ sotsugyoushiki _ too.” A wince. “Sorry about that.”

“Stop apologizing,” she grumbles with a kick under the table, “just be  _ there, _ okay? And be nice to Ms. Sagan.” A beat. “If you don’t, I’ll throw you off a bridge.”

“And I don’t doubt you would,” Date drawls, “could collect some nice life insurance from that too, I bet.”

(There’s that niggling feeling. The same one of familiarity when he says something he has before, but not quite.)

Mizuki just snickers. “Good.” 

“Speaking of Hitomi, though,” Date says. “I remember telling you the Sagans invited me over for dinner tonight. Just cooking together, maybe watching a movie later. I don’t think they’d mind at all if you came with, you know.”

“Really?” she asks, eyes wide. “Yay! I can’t wait, Ms. Sagan’s cooking’s the best.”

“Sure is,” he laughs, as he catches a waiter’s eye to bring the bill. “That reminds me,” Date says as he glances back at his companion, “have I ever told you about the  _ okinomiyaki _ war, Mizuki?””

* * *

Hitomi  
  
**Today** 16:42 AM  
hey hitomi, would it be okay if mizuki tagged along for dinner tonight?  
  
Of course! Iris and I would be happy to have you both over.  
  
sounds great  
  
ill be wearing this  
  
[](https://i.imgur.com/cANEZMz.png)  
  
Oh, that looks awful. I love it.   
  
I’ll see you later tonight, Date!  
  
well be there  
  
  
  
  
  


(“Wait, those can sparkle?” Date then asks, a snapshot moments before he walks headfirst into a pole.)

**Author's Note:**

> date only sent that one heart emoji after a full minute thinking over if that was the right move lmao. speaking of which i'm for sure gonna be seeing emoji coding in my nightmares
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/mizukiroute) if you wanna say hi, leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed!


End file.
